Trades to Push NHL Stanley Cup Contenders Over the Top
The March 8 NHL trade deadline is still several months away, but now that we are into the second quarter of the 2023-24 season, we are getting a better sense of a few different things.
We are starting to see which teams are establishing themselves as contenders and therefore deadline buyers, and which teams are probably going to be selling.
We are also getting an idea of what those contenders will need to put them over the top.
So with all of that in mind, let's take a look at some of the teams that could end up being contenders who still have some glaring needs that should be addressed—and the players who could help fill those needs.
Boston Bruins: Elias Lindholm
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The Boston Bruins lost a ton of talent from last year's 65-win roster, including top two centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, but they have not let that slow them down at the start of the 2023-24 season.
They are still one of the top teams in the NHL and looking like a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.
Despite that early success, they could still probably use an addition or two to help round out their lineup.
Especially down the middle of their forward group.
Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha have done a fine job so far, but they still need more depth and more offensive punch from that position, especially when it comes time for the playoffs. Lindholm could be the most impactful potential option available in the trade market.
His goal-scoring numbers are down a bit this season (five goals in 23 games), but some of that can probably be explained away by a dip in his shooting percentage. He would bring playmaking, goal-scoring potential and a strong defensive presence that would be a perfect fit for the way the Bruins play.
Boston would need to get creative to fit the remainder of his $4.85 million salary for this season onto its books, but there are always ways around that. The other obstacle is that Boston has already depleted a lot of its 2024 draft capital, but it still has future first-round picks at its disposal.
Edmonton Oilers: Jake Allen
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Even though the Edmonton Oilers are down in the standings, there is good reason to not give up on them as contenders.
For one, they still have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid is also starting to really get on a roll.
They also have some of the best underlying numbers in the NHL during five-on-five play when it comes to their possession and scoring-chance numbers. There is a possibility of a big bounce-back here.
The one thing they desperately need is better goaltending following Jack Campbell's demotion to the AHL. It's the No. 1 thing sinking them, and they need to find a cheap upgrade over Stuart Skinner (.881 save pct., 3.16 GAA) who could help get the season turned around.
Montreal has a surplus of goalies at the NHL level, and Allen seems to be a logical trade candidate, especially after the team just re-signed Sam Montembeault.
The 33-year-old Allen is not a game-stealer by any means, but he has a track record of being a capable NHL starter and could at least provide a stabilizing presence in the Edmonton net with career marks of a .913 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average.
The Oilers do not need somebody to win them games. They need somebody to not lose them games. Allen could help give them that.
New Jersey Devils: Juuse Saros
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The New Jersey Devils have two things holding them back.
The primary thing is the fact that they have not really had their roster fully healthy. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier have all missed significant time to injuries. That is a ton of talent and production out of the lineup.
The other concern this season: goaltending.
The duo of Vitek Vanecek (.879 save pct., 3.49 GAA) and Akira Schmid (.891 save pct., 3.27 GAA) have not really played all that well, and it is a noticeable flaw on what looks to be an otherwise great team.
So let's go big here and aim for a blockbuster.
There is no guarantee that the Nashville Predators will want to trade Juuse Saros (who still has another full year remaining on his contract), but the Devils have the sort of farm system and young talent that might be able to entice them with an offer they can not refuse.
Even though the Predators are off to a surprisingly decent start at 11-11-0, this is still not a team ready to contend—short-term or long-term—and at some point they need to look to the future. If there was ever a time to consider a Saros trade, it would be right now when the acquiring team would have two full playoff runs with him.
Put a top-level goalie behind this Devils team and it might become one of the top four or five contenders in the NHL.
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Toronto Maple Leafs: Chris Tanev
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The Toronto Maple Leafs were reportedly very interested in acquiring Nikita Zadorov before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Fortunately for Toronto, the Flames still have two defensemen who will probably be on the trading block, both of whom are better than Zadorov.
Toronto's defense has been decimated by injuries, and even if it was not, a contending team can't ever have too many quality defenders.
Tanev is not going to do much to boost Toronto's offense from the back end, but he is an excellent defender with a significant impact on suppressing scoring chances against. Over the past three years, the Flames have only allowed 2.12 expected goals against per 60 minutes with him on the ice.
He has a 10-team no-movement clause, but he might jump at the chance to contend with the Leafs before hitting unrestricted free agency. If so, he would be a rental with an affordable contract ($4.5 million) and give Toronto a strong defensive presence to round out its blue line.
New York Rangers: Sean Monahan
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The 16-4-1 New York Rangers are off to one of the best starts in the NHL, but they still have some of the same flaws that have existed for a couple of years now.
They are not especially deep during five-on-five play and rely significantly on their power play to carry the offense.
They also depend on their goaltending to mask whatever flaws that exist during five-on-five play and defensively.
One area where they could use some improvement is in the middle of their lineup. Especially some more offense from the center position.
At his peak, Sean Monahan was a legitimate top-line player who was capable of 30 goals and 60 points over a full season. His play has declined since that prime, but when the 29-year-old has been healthy over the past two seasons, he has produced at a very respectable rate with the Montreal Canadiens.
Over that stretch he has scored 12 goals with 18 assists in 48 games. That averages out to a 20-goal, 50-point pace over a full 82-game season. That is strong production and would look very good centering the Rangers' third line behind Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. The price would also be very affordable in terms of assets and draft picks.
Los Angeles Kings: James Reimer
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The Los Angeles Kings might be the best team in the NHL through the first two months of the season.
Their results have them near the top of the league standings at 13-4-3. Their process shows a team that is dominating during five-on-five play, while they have an excellent core of veteran players that has blended perfectly.
If they have one potential flaw, it might be in goal, where they do not have a clear-cut starter.
Veteran Cam Talbot is off to a strong start with a .928 save percentage and 2.02 GAA, but his track record is one of inconsistency, and he's probably not somebody who should be a full-time starter without much of a safety net behind him.
James Reimer is off to a strong start in his first six appearances (.917 save pct., 2.30 GAA) but is facing a crowded situation in Detroit with Alex Lyon and Ville Husso already on the roster. That could turn him into a trade chip to help the Red Wings fill another need or bring back another asset that could be flipped elsewhere.
On their own, Talbot or Reimer might not be the singular answer. But as a platoon duo where they split time and do not get overused or overexposed, they might give the Kings just enough to really solidify themselves as contenders.
Carolina Hurricanes: Mackenzie Blackwood
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The Carolina Hurricanes have one of the deepest rosters in the NHL at both forward and defense.
They do pretty much everything well, and while they do not have a true superstar, they simply have a team full of excellent players who all fit together.
They are talented, deep and defend well. Their big question mark is in goal, where the trio of Frederik Andersen, Antti Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov have all struggled. All three of them have a save percentage under .894.
Nothing can sink an otherwise great team faster than inconsistent goaltending, and it might be an area the Hurricanes need to look at.
Mackenzie Blackwood could be an interesting low-cost option, and he has seen his production take a step forward despite the fact that he is playing behind one of the worst defensive teams we have ever seen. His .903 save percentage is a 0.10 increase over what he did the past two years and is at least closer to league average. Put him behind a team like Carolina and he might have even more to give.
It was only a couple of years ago that Blackwood looked like he was on his way to being an above-average starter for the New Jersey Devils. Goaltending is a completely unpredictable position at times, and it wouldn't be unheard of for somebody like Blackwood to jump-start his career after a couple of down years.
The cost would be low. The risk would be low. There would be a potentially high upside.
Dallas Stars: Noah Hanifin
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The Dallas Stars were in the Western Conference Final a year ago and have an outstanding roster with a top-tier player at every position.
Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz are star forwards. Miro Heiskanen is a potential Norris Trophy contender on defense. Jake Oettinger can be a game-stealer when he is on top of his game in goal.
Overall, they are one of the best defensive teams in the league, allowing just 2.30 expected goals per 60 minutes during five-on-five play (third-best in the NHL). But their defense could still use a little bit more punch offensively, and Hanifin could help provide that while also still fitting in well with the overall structure of the team.
He might be a luxury. Maybe even an expensive luxury in terms of potential trade assets. But the Stars have a real chance to seriously compete for a Stanley Cup this season, and they do not want to let a chance like that slip away.
Salary-cap info via CapFriendly and advanced statistics via NaturalStatTrick unless otherwise noted.
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